Expatriates bringing in their parents or mothers- and fathers-in-law to the UAE are being exempted from the Dh2,000 ($545) visa bond scheme, it was reported.
Immigration authorities are now collecting a refundable Dh2,000 guarantee from expatriates who wish to sponsor other relatives, media reports said. The move is aimed at reducing the number of people coming to the UAE on visit visas and seeking jobs, a report in the Gulf News said. It said the amount must be paid in cash and bank guarantees were not being accepted. The bond money will be refunded once the person leaves the UAE. "Expatriates sponsoring their parents or mothers- and fathers-in-law are exempt from paying the fees," an official source said in remarks published in the Gulf News. The Dh2,000 guarantee scheme was initially introduced in May last year and but was suspended after a week till the government devised a better mechanism to collect the fees. In another development, the report said UAE nationals must now pay Dh1,500 when applying for a housemaid's visa. The nationals were not charged this fee earlier. The money will be refunded after the maid leaves the UAE. No bank guarantees will be accepted in these visas also. The report said immigration laws required an expatriate family to pay a non-refundable fee of Dh5,000 per year to sponsor a housemaid.